Apparatus for forming characters.



J. R. HBRSHBY. APPARATUS POR PORMING CHARACTERS.

APPLICATION PXLED JULY 22,1912.

Patented J an. 27, 1914.

IIII

:NVE/vrai? .fdcobjoer'ershqy Br Glam, 71. /M/v ATTORNEY.

suny, a'citizen of the JACOB ROBERT HERSHEY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 ELECTRIC SERVICE SUPPLIES COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION (IF PENNSYLVANIA.

fA'PPA-RATUS LFOR 'FORNI-N G CHARACTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27.1914.

Apjilication aleasnny 22, 1912. serial No. 710,754.

Tofall whom it mag/concern Be it known that 1,.JAoB ROBERT HER- United States, lresiding in the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Apparatus for FormingCharacters, of Which the following is a specification.

My invention is particularly designed for arranging and holding characters, preferably letters, uponasuitable foundation and coloring the ground of such foundation, preferably by paint or ink sprayed by an air brush about the characters. Its primary purpose isV to rovide for the formation of signs, especia y the names of successive streets in column upon a strip of suitable fabric in White hetters upon a dark background so that the names of approaching streets can be shown on a street car by usual means therefor. Particularly where it is desired to show the namesof streets from a car, it is desirable to use letters, through which light will pass, on a background which is opaque, and it is advantageous to use a strip of muslin or light colored Woven fabric through which light will shine to bring out letters thereon formed by an opaque ybackground outlining such letters.

In the accom anying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of) apparatus used in the practice of my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3

is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of means used in eecting the initial arrangement of the letters; and Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of a letter aving the characteristic formation used in my invention.

My invention may be practised by the apparatus shown in the drawingsandy comi prising a table or base 1 having rolls 2 at the ends thereof. On the table is placed a sheet of felt or other pliable material 3, on the felt a sheet of paper or smooth fabric 4, and thereon a strip of muslin 5 havin its ends reeled 0n rollers 2 and an interine iate section drawn over the foundation formed by the table, felt and paper. Letters 6, having struts or rods 7 fixed at median sections thereof, are arranged on the section of muslin on the table and pressed down there- 7 .passed therethrough,

upon .by clamping such rods to bars 8 by means of clevises 9 and drawing down such bars yby means of clamp hooks l0. The clevises 9 comprise bifurcations 9 which are yoked on the bars 8 and have the letter rods these parts being clamped together by the clevis screws 9 which ar against the bars. The clamp hooks l0 are provided with toes l0 for e11- gagement under the edges of the table and with threaded shanks l0 which fit in slots 8 in the ends of the bars 8. lVing nuts l0a are screwed on the threaded Shanks 10 and engage the bars 8 to press the letters down upon the section of cloth. The letters (3 `have recessed .faces providing channels 6 having comparatively narrow edges G, forming narrow bearings for the letters, as illustrated more fully in Figs. 4 and G.

To obtain the initial arrangement of letters desired, a gage, formed by the base ll and sides 11', is provided. A bar 8 is placed on the sides l1 of the gage and the letters (i arranged on the base 11 thereof, the clevises 9 being arranged on the bar and having the rods 7 extending therethrough. The letters are fixed in the desired relation by tightening up the screws 9 and the bars with the letters thereon ,are then placed in position upon the muslin drawn over the foundation, it being understood that the struts and letters are suitably spaced so that the muslin can be s rayed around the letters. A readjustment of) the letters, particularly with reference to their pressure upon the muslin, can then be effected, if required, and the clamp hooks applied and tightened up so as to press the edges of the lletters rmly against the muslin. The background is then colored by spraying the muslin surrounding the letters with a suitable paint or ink. Upon the removal of the letters, which is effected by loosening the nuts 10a, removing the clamp hooks l() and' lifting oit the bar 8, it will be found that the strip of muslin bears the desired name in sharply outlined letters, with avoidance of irregularities due to the flow of ink by capillary action into the body of the letter, which is a usual defeet occurring in the use of plain faced type.

It will be understood that my invention is applicable for the formation of characters upon boards, glass, celluloid or other suitable fabrics as Well as upon muslin.

Having described'my invention, I claim:

l. In apparatus of the character described, mechanism adapted for supporting a fabric, a plurality of characters, struts fixed to said characters, mechanism whereby said struts are connected together, and lmeans for'moving one of said mechanisms toward the other and pressing said characters upon said fabric,- said characters and struts being separated to provide open spaces between them so as to permit said fabric to be sprayed with a coating material around and outlining said characters.

2. In apparatus of the character described, mechanism comprising a table adapted for supporting a fabric, a plurality of letters having open spaces between them, said letters having channeled faces, mechanisin for fixing said letters together, and means whereby one of said mechanisms is moved toward the other to cause said letters to bear upon said fabric.

3. In `apparatus of the character described, mechanism comprising a table and rolls adapted for carrying a fabric across said table, a plurality of letters having channeled faces, rods fixed to the respective letters, mechanism to which said rods are fixed, and means whereby one of said mechanisms is moved toward the other and said letters caused to press upon said fabric.

4. In appara-tus of the characterdescribed, the combination with a foundation adapted for receiving a fabric-thereon, of

characters having recessed faces with narrow edges, mechanism whereby said characters are fixed together in adjustable relation, and means acting through said mechanism whereby said characters are held under pressure against said fabric.

5. In apparatus of the character described, `the combination with a suitable foundation adapted for receiving a fabric thereon,- of a bar, letters having recessed faces with narrow edges', struts fix to said letters, clamping devices whereby said struts are fixed in adjustable relation to said bar, and means acting through Vsaid bar and struts upon said letters so as to press them upon` said fabric. l

6. In apparatus of the character de-y scribed, a table, a pliable covering thereonv adapted -for supporting a fabric, letters having recessed faces with narrow edges rest' ing on said fabric, struts fixed to said let ters, a bar, means whereby said struts are adjustable and fixable with relation to said, bar, and clamping devices engaging said bar ,and table whereby said means are pressed against said fabric.

, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name this 9th day of July, 1912, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

JAcoB ROBERT HERSHEY.

yWitnesses WM. H. GRAVER, LILLIAN SCHOFIELD. 

